Conventionally, there is a group vs. group competition game in which a plurality of objects that appear in a game space are separated into some groups and compete in groups.
In the group vs. group competition game, when each object freely moves in the game space, it may be difficult for a user to understand the game situation. For example, it may be difficult for the user to understand which object is a friend object and which object is an enemy object.
Therefore, the present specification discloses a storage medium having stored therein a game program, an information processing apparatus, an information processing system, and a game processing method that are capable of presenting the game situation in an easy-to-understand manner to the user.
(1) An example of a game program described in the present specification is a game program executed by a computer included in an information processing apparatus for performing game processing in which a first group including a first object and a second object operated by a user competes with a second group including a third object and a fourth object.
The game program causes the computer to function as object arrangement means, action control means, virtual camera control means, virtual space image generation means, and display control means. The object arrangement means arranges, in a virtual three-dimensional space, the first object, the second object, the third object, the fourth object, a first connection object connecting the first object and the second object, and a second connection object connecting the third object and the fourth object. The action control means controls actions of the first object and the second object, with restriction being imposed on movements of the first object and the second object based on the first connection object, and controls actions of the third object and the fourth object, with restriction being imposed on movements of the third object and the fourth object based on the second connection object. The virtual camera control means controls a virtual camera arranged in the virtual three-dimensional space such that at least one of the third object and the fourth object is included in a field-of-view range of the virtual camera. The virtual space image generation means generates a virtual space image acquired based on the virtual camera. The display control means causes a display to display the virtual space image.
According to the configuration of the above (1), since the objects included in the same group are connected to each other by the connection object, it is possible to present the game situation in an easy-to-understand manner to the user. In addition, since the third object and the fourth object are restricted in movement by the second connection object, when one of the third object and the fourth object is included in a display range, the other object is also likely to be included in the display range. Thus, it is possible to present a game image that allows the user to easily understand the positions of the third object and the fourth object.
(2) The action control means may control the actions of the first object and the second object, with the restriction being imposed on the movements of the first object and the second object based on a state of the first connection object, and control the actions of the third object and the fourth object, with the restriction being imposed on the movements of the third object and the fourth object based on a state of the second connection object.
According to the configuration of the above (2), each player object is restricted in movement, based on the length of the connection object connected thereto. For example, greater restriction is imposed on the movement of the player object when the length of the connection object is a first length than when the length of the connection object is a second length shorter than the first length. Thus, it is possible to reduce the risk that the objects connected to each other by the connection object are excessively separated from each other, and therefore, both the third object and the fourth object can be easily included in the display range.
(3) The action control means may impose the restriction on the movements of the first object and the second object by using a virtual first tension that is applied to the first object and the second object by the first connection object. In addition, the action control means may impose the restriction on the movements of the third object and the fourth object by using a virtual second tension that is applied to the third object and the fourth object by the second connection object.
According to the configuration of the above (3), since an virtual tension regarding to the connection object is calculated, and the restriction is imposed on the movement of the object by using the tension, it is possible to reduce the risk that the movement of the object becomes unnatural.
(4) The action control means may set the first tension in a case where the length of the first connection object is a first length, to be greater than the tension in a case where the length of the first connection object is a second length shorter than the first length. In addition, the action control means may set the second tension in a case where the length of the second connection object is the first length, to be greater than the tension in a case where the length of the second connection object is the second length.
According to the above (4), since the greater tension is set when the connection object is longer than when the connection object is shorter, it is possible to easily reduce the distance between the two objects connected to each other by the connection object.
(5) The action control means may calculate the first tension by decreasing a component of a tension directed in a direction to the first connected object, the component regarding a second direction orthogonal to a first direction in the virtual three-dimensional space. In addition, the action control means may calculate the second tension by decreasing a component, regarding the second direction, of a tension directed in a direction to the second connected object.
According to the configuration of the above (5), the restriction of the tension applied to the object is smaller in the second direction in the virtual three-dimensional space than in the first direction in the virtual three-dimensional space. Thus, the action of the object regarding the second direction can be expressed more naturally.
(6) The second direction may be a vertical direction in the virtual three-dimensional space.
According to the configuration of the above (6), the action of the object regarding the vertical direction in the virtual three-dimensional space can be expressed more naturally. Therefore, for example, a jumping action of the object can be expressed more naturally.
(7) The action control means may determine the state of the first connection object, based on the first object and the second object, regardless of whether the first connection object comes into contact with another object in the virtual three-dimensional space.
According to the configuration of the above (7), since contact of the connection object with another object is not considered, it is possible to inhibit the movements of the objects connected to each other by the connection object from being excessively restricted by the connection object.
(8) The virtual space image generation means may generate the virtual space image by changing the display mode of the first connection object in accordance with the distance between the first object and the second object, and changing the display mode of the second connection object in accordance with the distance between the third object and the fourth object.
According to the configuration of the above (8), the display mode of the connection object allows the player to recognize the distance between the two objects connected to each other by the connection object.
(9) The action control means may control the action of the first object, with the restriction regarding the movement of the first object being canceled while a cancellation condition regarding the first object is satisfied.
According to the configuration of the above (9), the action of the object can be naturally expressed while the cancellation condition is satisfied.
(10) The cancellation condition may be that the first object is performing a first action.
According to the configuration of the above (10), since the motion of first object is not restricted by the first connection object while the first object is performing the first action, the first action of the first object can be naturally expressed.
(11) The action control means may control the action of the second object, with the restriction regarding the movement of the second object being canceled while the second object is performing a second action that is the same as or different from the first action. In addition, in a case where the first object is performing the first action and the second object is performing the second action, and if the direction of the first action and the direction of the second action satisfy a correction condition, the action control means may correct at least one of the direction of the first action and the direction of the second action.
According to the configuration of the above (11), in the case where the first object is performing the first action and the second object is performing the second action, the restriction by the connection object is canceled. Here, according to the configuration of the above (11), since at least one of the direction of the first action and the direction of the second action is corrected under the correction condition, it is possible to reduce the risk that the action becomes unnatural because of great restriction being suddenly imposed after the first action and/or the second action is finished (in other words, after the restriction becomes to be imposed again).
(12) The action control means may include movement control means configured to cause a moving object regarding the first object to move from the first object toward the third object or the fourth object, in accordance with an operation performed by the user.
According to the configuration of the above (12), the first object can have influence on the objects (i.e., the third object and the fourth object) in the second group from a position distant to some extent. Therefore, the objects in the first group are not likely to be close to the objects in the second group, thereby presenting the grouping by the connection object in an easy-to-understand manner.
(13) The movement control means may change the moving direction of a moving object that is moving, in accordance with an operation performed by the user while the moving object is moving.
According to the configuration of the above (13), even when the first object have influence on the objects in the second group from the distant position, a first user can operate the moving object freely to a certain extent. That is, according to the configuration of the above (13), inconvenience is not likely to occur on the game even when the first object is distant from the objects in the second group, it is possible to provide a game having enhanced interest.
(14) The action control means may stop the movement of the moving object in a case where, while the moving object is moving, the first object is caused to move in the virtual three-dimensional space by an action of the third object or the fourth object.
According to the configuration of the above (14), the moving action of the moving object due to the first object can be canceled by the action of the object in the second group. Thus, the interest of the game can be enhanced.
(15) The game program may further cause the computer to function as acquisition means configured to acquire motion data indicating a motion of an input device. The action control means may control the action of the first object based on the motion data.
According to the configuration of the above (15), the first user can operate the object by an intuitive operation of moving the input device.
(16) In a case where the second object is caused to move in the virtual three-dimensional space by an action of the third object or the fourth object, the action control means may cause the first object to move in conjunction with the movement of the second object so that the length of the first connection object maintains a predetermined state.
According to the configuration of the above (16), when the second object is influenced by the objects in the second group, the first object connected to the second object by the connection object is also influenced by the objects in the second group. In this case, since the first user plays the game while understanding the situation of the second object as well as the situation of the first object operated by himself/herself, strategic characteristics of the game can be enhanced, thereby providing the game having enhanced interest.
(17) The virtual camera control means may control the virtual camera such that the virtual camera is directed in a direction from the first object to one of the third object and the fourth object.
According to the configuration of the above (17), since the virtual camera is controlled so as to face one of objects in the second group, which is an opponent for the first user, it is possible to present the game image in an easy-to-understand manner to the user. In the case where the first user performs an operation of moving the input device as in the configuration of the above (15), the fact that the first user further operates the virtual camera precisely may cause the operation by the first user to be complicated. In this regard, according to a combination of the configuration of the above (17) and the configuration of the above (15), since the first user need not control the virtual camera precisely, it is possible to provide the user with an intuitive and easy game operation.
(18) The virtual camera control means may control the virtual camera such that an object to which the virtual camera is directed is switched between the third object and the fourth object, in accordance with an operation performed by the user.
According to the configuration of the above (18), the user can easily select an object to be displayed from among the objects in the second group (however, other objects can be included in the display range).
It should be noted that the present specification discloses an example of an information processing apparatus and an example of an information processing system, each including the respective means in the above (1) to (18). In addition, the present specification discloses an example of a game processing method executed in an information processing apparatus according to the above (1) to (18).
According to the storage medium having stored therein the game program, the information processing apparatus, the information processing system, and the game processing method, it is possible to present a game situation in an easy-to-understand manner to the user.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the exemplary embodiment will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.